CHAPTER XXXVIBLOODY YEAR ON THE PLAINS—[continued].

Troops Operating Against Savages - Divided Into Small Detachments - Redmen Have Things Their Own Way - Indian Affairs And The Indian Question - The Powder River Campaign Discussed And Determined By Generals Pope, Dodge And Connor - General Connor Issues His Instructions To Colonel Cole And Makes Known His Plan Of Campaign - Departure Of The Expedition - Captain George F. Price Left In Command At Fort Laramie - Pope Abolishes The District Of The Plains - Assigns Connor To The District Of Utah -General F. Wheaton Assigned To The District Of Nebraska With Headquarters At Fort Laramie - Indian Depredations On The Telegraph And Mail Line After General Connor's Departure For Powder River.

The operations against Indians by the
government had reached large proportions by the 1st of July, 1865.
A considerable column of troops was operating south of the
Arkansas. Another force on the north side of that river and still
another on the Smoky Hill and Republican. Besides those mentioned
there were troops in Colorado, and a still larger force in
Nebraska. In what is now Wyoming and the two Dakotas there was
even a greater number than the combined armies employed in Kansas,
Nebraska and Colorado. The various tribes of the mountains and
plains had little difficulty in holding their own against the
troops in the field. The war had developed great leaders among the
savages. These chieftains had secured by their peculiar methods of
attacking trains, stage coaches and stations along the mail
routes, a large number of arms and a corresponding amount of
ammunition. By making war a trade and their chief business in
life, they had succeeded to an extent that surprised even
themselves. With great forethought they had planned to keep their
families in the wilderness, away from danger, so that they could
operate against the whites without
being annoyed by the care of the helpless ones. They carried on,
what would be termed among white men,, a gorilla warfare and it
was impossible for the government to successfully operate against
them for the reason that they refused to be brought to battle. It
is useless to deny that they were a source of much annoyance to
the government. They knew the country thoroughly and managed to
fight the troops sent against them on battle fields chosen by
themselves. The laws of civilized warfare were unknown to them and
consequently they took advantage of every circumstance that would
permit of the capture of emigrant trains containing men, women,
children and merchandise. The men were killed and scalped, the
women were carried into a captivity that was worse than death, the
children were sometimes killed but oftener carried to their
villages in the mountains to be brought up as savages. Emigrants
too often ventured across the plains badly armed or in such small
numbers as to be an easy prey to war parties. To add to the
difficulties there was too often bad judgment used by military
commanders who had charge of the war against Indians. Plans of
campaigns were made and carried out which fell far short of
reaching the desired end. The officers in the east who had the
management of campaigns against western Indians, as a rule, little
understood the more modern Indian. The savage was continuously
underated, that is his ability to conduct war. The fact that the
hostiles in some respects had made rapid strides in the arts of
war seemed to be entirely unknown to those who managed our armies.
Five or ten men were expected to guard a stage station that was
certain to be attacked by ten or twenty times their number, and
the same thing applied to guards furnished to trains and mail
coaches. The soldiers, as a matter of course, were continually
getting the worst of it. Regiments sent on this service melted
away. Not only were our soldiers killed, but the savages were
encouraged to keep up the war because they were successful. A few
of the officers understood the situation, and recommended the
employment of a large force to hunt down the savages
and conquer a peace, but this plan was objected to because war on
such a scale meant the expenditure of millions of dollars. Then we
had in the eastern country a peace party, that is a class who were
opposed to killing Indians. They considered and argued that a
great Christian government was in poor business when it sent men
to the plains to butcher Indians. We heard a great deal about
robbing Indians of their lands and driving them from their homes.
They claimed that when white people were killed by the natives it
was a misfortune, but that the poor, untutored savage could not be
blamed; that the duty of the government was to civilize and
Christianize these red men, but under no circumstances was it
justifiable to kill them. When pressed closely they always ended
up with the argument that white people had no right in the Indian
country and if they were killed it was their own fault. These men
were the impracticables; they refused to see that as society and
civilization existed and had existed since the landing of the May
Flower, the Indian must give way to a force that was as
irresistable as the power which placed the sun in the heavens.
Colonists who settled Cape Cod and all New England wrested the
land from the native tribes. The Jamestown Colony did the same
thing, and so the conquest went on until all the land east of the
Missouri was acquired. There was but a single exception and that
was the Schuylkill settlement of Pennsylvania. William Penn bought
his land with cheap trinkets, and for this he was called honest
and a Christian in his dealings though he paid not a tenth of the
price per acre that was afterwards paid by the government to the
wild tribes for the lands beyond the Missouri.
Up to midsummer 1865, Generals Pope, Dodge
and Connor were of one mind in regard to methods to be employed in
bringing the hostiles to terms. Connor had said that the soldiers
must hunt them down like wolves before any attempt should be made
to form a treaty. This, in his judgment, was the only way to
secure lasting peace. He wanted the government to reward good
Indians, but to punish bad ones with a heavy hand. General Pope,
as I have shown in a previous chapter,
argued somewhat the same way and instructed the generals under him
to follow out this method of warfare in the campaigns against the
Sioux, Cheyennes, Arapahoes and some other tribes. Not only did he
approve of the plans submitted to him by General Dodge (these were
Connor's) but he urged the campaign pushed forward without delay.
On July 28th General Connor issued his instructions to Colonel
Cole, who was to have command of the right column of the army
invading the Powder River country. The troops which were to
compose this column were the Second Missouri Light Artillery,
equipped as cavalry, 797 officers and men; Twelfth Missouri
Cavalry, 311 officers and men; total 1,108; one section of
three-inch rifle guns and a train of 140 six-mule wagons. The
mules furnished were unbroken and the drivers were equally as bad
as the mules. The route was by way of Columbus, then up the north
bank of the Loup, thence to the Niobrara River and up that stream
to the head waters of Wounded Knee Creek, from thence down the
valley to White Earth River, where they struck the old trail of
the American Fur Company, used by General Harney in 1855. This
trail was followed to the South Fork of Cheyenne River when a
northwest course was taken which led to Belle Fourche River. The
expedition followed up this stream to White Wood Creek and from
thence directly west to Pine Creek, where it was joined by
Lieutenant-Colonel Walker of the Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, who was
in charge of the center column of invasion, and his command
consisted of 700 cavalry, which had left Fort Laramie on August
2nd, passing through the Black Hills. The left column was
commanded by Colonel J. H. Kidd, Sixth Michigan Cavalry, and
composed of the Seventh Iowa Cavalry, ninety officers and men;
Eleventh Ohio Cavalry, ninety officers and men; Sixth Michigan
Cavalry, 200 officers and men, and Pawnee Scouts, ninety-five
officers and men, total 475. The west column was commanded by
Capt. Albert Brown, Second California Cavalry, composed of Second
California Cavalry, 116 officers and men and Omaha Scouts, 84
officers and men, total 200. Each column
was supplied with artillery. Lieutenant-Colonel Walker was
instructed to take forty days supplies on pack mules. The west
column was to be accompanied by wagon trains containing supplies
and material for the construction of a post either on Powder River
or Tongue River. The general rendezvous for the different columns
was to be on Rosebud River. Fire signals were arranged for the
direction of the different columns. General Connor's idea was to
bring the Indians to battle, but failing in this he intended to
change his plan of campaign on arriving at the rendezvous. The
west column left Fort Laramie on July 30th, and at La Bonta
General Connor joined it and directed its general movements to the
Powder River country. He issued strict orders to each of the
commanders to keep scouting parties in their front and on their
right and left flanks. One paragraph in these orders attracted
great attention in the east. It was this, "You will not
receive overtures of peace or submission from Indians, but will
attack and kill every male Indian over twelve years of age."
This paragraph will soon be heard from in high official quarters.
On the day Connor left Fort Laramie to join the troops on Powder
River General Dodge telegraphed from Fort Laramie to General Pope,
pouring out his troubles to that officer. His dispatch reads,
"General Connor is laboring under great difficulty. Stores
that should have been at Laramie six weeks ago are stuck in the
mud, and the columns here started out half shod and half rationed.
There is not one foot of the road but what we have a guard near
our trains, and it uses up troops beyond all conception. Every
regiment that has come here so far has been dismounted or horses
unserviceable. There is one regiment here now that has waited here
six weeks for horses, and the prospect of getting them is is about
as good here as it was there. I have not horses enough to mount
even an escort, but we will overcome it all if it will only stop
raining and let us have a few weeks of solid road."
The day following General Connor's departure
from Fort Laramie a portion of the Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, the regiment which was to compose the center
column of the advance against the Indians on Powder River,
mutinied. It was the same old story, they had enlisted for the
war, and it being over they were determined to go home.
Lieutenant-Colonel Walker made a strong appeal to the men but it
was all to no purpose and he finally asked Assistant Adjutant
General Price, who was in command of the District of the Plains,
during Connor's temporary absence, for assistance. That officer
sent him two howitzers, double shotted, and ordered him to do his
talking to mutineers with grape and canister. A part of the
regiment remained loyal and with the aid of these Walker quelled
the mutiny before the arrival of the artillery, which was on the
way. Seven of the ringleaders were put in irons and a court was
convened the following day to try them. Those engaged in the
mutiny, finding that the matter was taking serious shape and that
they were about to lose their good name, hastened to express the
sorrow they felt for their unwise and disloyal conduct. These
troops, notwithstanding their mutinous behavior, left Fort Laramie
on the morning of August 2nd filled with enthusiasm and a
determination to make their part of the Powder River expedition a
success.
Captain George F. Price, Acting Assistant
Adjutant General at Fort Laramie telegraphed General Dodge on
August 15th, protesting against reducing the force operating
against Indians along the telegraph line and mail line. He claimed
that the government should furnish troops to protect men who were
proposing to open up and develop the country. He continues, "I
repeat, and but give the experience of every military man who has
served on the frontier and understands Indian character, that a
half way exhibition of power will only result in evil - deplorable
evil. These Indians have repeatedly declared that they do not want
peace. We should fight them like the fiends they are until they
come begging on their hands and knees for mercy. When they do this
then we can afford to make peace. They are now proud and insolent.
Have been able until lately to dash down on a road and destroy
everything. They should not only see
the power of the government, but also feel it. If peace is made
with them before they are punished it will not last six months;
scarcely longer than the time it will take to deliver the
presents. That which appears to be a cruel policy East is really
humanity to Indians, to say nothing of the outrages committed by
them upon our women and children. It will be hazardous to weaken
our force on the mail and telegraph line. In many places have not
now sufficient troops We can hardly obtain men to do the necessary
camp and post duties, so great is the demand for escort and
scouting duty. The stage company has finally agreed to place the
stock on road between Collins and Sulphur Springs. That could have
been done three weeks ago if they had not been scared almost to
death about the loss of a few broken-down horses and mules. The
General does not yet know the infantry brigade has been ordered
back. He should have another infantry regiment for this district
and Powder River. One thousand infantry and one regiment of
cavalry should be sent to Utah. When you arrive can talk with you
fully on these subjects, telling you exactly what General Connor's
ideas and plans are. The mail road and telegraph line all quiet.
Our cavalry overtook Indians who committed depredations at Big
Laramie several days ago, whipped them badly and is still after
them. Quartermaster and commissary stores are arriving at the
different depots, and all work pertaining to winter is being
pushed as rapidly as it can under the circumstances."
Captain Price was an experienced Indian
fighter and his knowledge gained in the field was' worth more to
the government than huge volumes of theories advanced by eastern
sentimentalists. This officer, General Dodge well knew, was honest
in all he said and did. His opinions did have weight with the
General, but alas, that commander was practically without power to
furnish a sufficient number of troops to properly punish the
Indians. Before another year rolled around it was clearly proven
that General Connor and his assistant adjutant general knew what
they were talking about. General Pope
and even General Grant became advocates of these same methods of
fighting Indians before the year 1866 had come and gone. The
mistakes of the people in Washington were many during the closing
months of 1865. The Indian was encouraged to keep up hostilities.
The Redman had in a few years outgrown his bow and arrow and had
become an expert with the latest improved weapons. Once he could
not stand before infantry or cavalry, soon he was to defy the best
drilled squadron.
On August 22d General Pope abolished the
District of the Plains and established the District of Nebraska,
which included the territories of Nebraska and Montana and that
portion of Dakota lying west of the west boundary of the
flrst-named territory, this, of course was the territory which
afterwards became Wyoming. The headquarters of this district was
Fort Laramie. Brigadier and Brevet Major General F. Wheaton, U. S.
Volunteers was made commander. He also created the district of
Utah, which included the territory of Utah; with headquarters at
Salt Lake City. Brigadier General Connor was placed in command and
when this officer returned from the Powder River expedition he
visited Denver and from there went to Salt Lake. This closed the
labors of General Connor in Wyoming. The War Department failed to
properly appreciate his services but not so Major General G. M.
Dodge. That gallant officer during General Connor's absence on the
Powder River expedition visited Fort Laramie and also made a hasty
visit to Fort Connor on Powder River, and, on his return, spoke in
the highest terms of the management of the expedition and its
results. After General Connor's return to Fort Laramie General
Dodge telegraphed him: "I congratulate you and thank you for
the success you have met with. Please extend my thanks to your
command for their success and for the fortitude they have shown
under such trying circumstances and hardships." General Pope
maintained a dignified silence.
It has long been a recognized fact that
opportunities make men. This brought to the front during the civil
war great leaders and gave us Grant,
Sherman, Sheridan and hundreds of others. This war on the plains
was the opportunity which developed great leaders among the
Indians and the country was soon to hear from them and the
government to feel their power. General Wheaton, the new commander
of the District of Nebraska, headquarters at Fort Laramie, on
August 23d, received a letter from General Pope, suggesting that
Fort Kearney, Cottonwood, Julesburg, Fort Laramie, and Platte
Bridge should each be garrisoned by three infantry and two cavalry
companies, and that if a post should be established at Powder
River, it should be garrisoned by four companies of infantry
during the winter with the addition of a company of cavalry in the
spring. If it was decided to establish a post on the Sweetwater,
one company of cavalry and one of infantry would .be sufficient to
garrison it. This small force was to hold in check 15,000 or
20,000 well armed savages who were on the war path. All other
troops were to be mustered out of the service. This mistaken
policy on the part of the government was to cost many lives and
many millions of dollars within the next two years.
Seeing how matters stood, General Dodge, who
was at Fort Laramie, made one more effort and to this end used all
his personal influence with General Pope. He telegraphed him as
follows on August 31st: "I consider the Indian matters here
of so much importance, and knowing no one can judge of them so
well as when he is on the ground, that I desire to make one
proposition to the government. If the government will allow me to
keep General Connor in the field with not to exceed 2,000 men of
his present force, leaving the forces you have designated to
garrison posts on the plains, I will settle these Indian
difficulties before spring, satisfactorily to the government, and
bring about peace that will be lasting. I may do it in a month or
two or it may take longer. The additional expense to the
government will be the pay of that number of troops for the time
detained. All the stores, forage, etc., to support them are here
and en route. As soon as we settle with them we can send
these troops in and take 2,000 more from our posts in addition and
muster them out. General Connor left Powder River with sixty days'
supplies, and I am satisfied if we will allow him time he will
settle the matter before he returns. Should he come back by our
orders without settling the matter, the entire Indian tribes will
be down on our lines, and we will have our hands full and more
too."
In view of what followed the next year,
General Dodge's request should have been granted. Had Gen. Connor
made a winter campaign in the Powder River country the power of
the combined tribes in that section would have been broken forever
and the terrible massacre which closed the year 1866 could not
have occurred. Instead of granting this all-important desire on
the part of General Dodge, Connor was ordered to return to Fort
Laramie with all his troops except the small garrison to be left
at Fort Connor and to arrive at that post not later than the 16th
of October. This was a fatal mistake and the government paid
dearly for it. On September 15th, General Dodge addressed a letter
from Horse Shoe Station to General Pope in which he gives him some
important information from Powder River. I make a short extract,
as it shows the real feelings and intentions of the savages:
"Arrived here today on my return from
Powder River. That post is well located; right in the heart of the
Indian country, and is an important post. The Indian trails all
cross at or near it, and it will have a good effect hereafter in
holding in check Indians. I have not heard from General Connor
since August 24th. We cannot reach him now. They have done a good
deal of work on Powder River; got up the stockade and commenced
the quartermaster's store up there, the Powder River stores not
having reached Laramie yet. From Laramie to Powder River, then to
Virginia City is an excellent wagon road; good water, grass, and
wood all the way, and the most direct road that can be got. The
travel over it in another season will be immense; it saves at
least 450 miles in distance. After the Indians attacked Colonel
Sawyers' wagon road party and failed in their attempt, they held a
parley. Colonel Bent's sons George and Joe Bent appeared on the
part of the Indians and Colonel Sawyers gave them a wagon load of
goods to let him go undisturbed, Captain Williford, commanding
escort, not agreeing to it. The Indians accepted the proposition
and agreed to it, but after receiving the goods they attacked the
party and killed three men. Bent said there was one condition on
which the Cheyennes would treat, viz: The hanging by the
government of Colonel Chivington. He also said that the Indians
considered that they were strong enough to fight the government;
preferred to do it; that they knew the government would withdraw
troops in the fall; then they would have it all their own way
again. Expressed great fear about General Connor and said they
were concentrating everything to meet him, which is true. Since he
left no Indians have troubled the mail and telegraph line, but all
are moving north, stragglers and all. At Fort Connor they kill a
few of them as they pass every few days. There is one band of
Arapahoes in Medicine Bow Mountains, who are committing
depredations around Denver, on Cache la Poudre and Big Thompson
Creeks. They belonged to the band that were at Cow Creek treaty."
On the night of September 30th a number of
Indians belonging to the bands of Little Thunder and Spotted Tail
attacked a quartermaster's supply train on the North Platte, not
far from what is now the eastern line of Wyoming. There were but
two wagons in the train, eight men and one woman. The white men
made a desperate resistance and at last succeeded in driving off
the Indians, but they took with them all the mules belonging to
the train. One of the white men, J. H. Temple was killed and three
others, Anthony Shilling, James Ireland and Alfred Acres were
severely wounded. Fortunately a detachment of cavalry came up the
road and assisted the train men in carrying the wounded to a
nearby ranch. Unfortunately these troops arrived too late to be of
assistance in the fight. During the next fifteen days there were
numerous attacks made on stations along the telegraph line east of
Fort Laramie. These Indians all appeared to be on their way to
Powder River as they went in that direction. It was astonishing to
witness the carelessness of many emigrants while passing through
the Indian country. It was hard to make them observe even ordinary
precautions. In reply to officers and soldiers,
who warned them against Indians, they invariably said they were
not afraid and these were the very ones who met with mishaps. Men
of experience knew that the price of safety was constant vigilance
and that carelessness led to woeful consequences. Many of the
women among these emigrants were exceedingly reckless and were
constantly declaring that there was no danger to be apprehended
from Indians. One case will illustrate the class referred to.
Early in October a train encamped late one afternoon just above
Bridger's ferry. In this train was a father, mother, two grown
sons and a daughter of eighteen. When the train halted these
people pulled out of the line and went up the river some little
distance above the others. Before night set in a gentleman
connected with one of the other wagons, seeing the exposed
position taken by this family, went to them and suggested the
danger of a location so remote from the other wagons. The head of
the family admitted that it was not good policy and seemed on the
point of moving back when his wife spoke up and said that the
place was good enough; that the horses had fine feed and the
family were enjoying the privacy of a separate camp, and, with a
lofty toss of her head, remarked that she did not believe there
were any Indians within fifty miles, and further, stated that she
was tired of this constant talk about danger which did not exist.
The well meaning fellow traveler went back to his wagon and this
woman who was so anxious to enjoy the privacy of a separate camp
kept her family where they were. During the night there was an
Indian attack on that part of the camp which was isolated and all
their horses, four fine ones, were run off. The young men and
their father turned out to defend their stock but too late, they
were gone. One of the boys, who had struggled hard to secure the
animals, came back to the wagon with an arrow sunk deep in his
shoulder. After much difficulty the arrow point was removed but it
left a dangerous wound.
On October 24th, General Pope telegraphed
General Grant as follows: "Is it to be expected that the
United States furnish mounted escorts
for the overland stages? Such service is enormously expensive, as
it kills off both horses and men at a fearful rate, and requires a
very large force, more than the government is willing to allow.
With the sums appropriated to carry the mail, the company ought to
be, and is, able to furnish enough men itself to accompany the
coaches. If the military are to furnish mounted escorts, they had
best carry the mails themeselves. With one-fifth the amount paid
to the mail company the military in this department can carry the
mails regularly without additional expense to the government. I
would be glad to be informed whether I am required to furnish
mounted escorts to the coaches. If so, it will need more troops
than we have specified and a constant supply of horses. The stage
company threatens to draw off their coaches and stock and stop
carrying the mail unless I furnish mounted escorts."
To the above General Grant replied on the
following day: "You need not furninsh escorts to the overland
stages except when it can be done without inconvenience or
expense. The route should be as well protected as practicable with
the means at your disposal, and when troops are moving over it
they might move with the stages. With the colored and regular
troops sent to you, can you not now muster out of service all the
volunteers remaining?"
The President was in favor of making peace
with the Indians; General Grant favored a new treaty with these
providing there was any hope of such a peace being lasting. The
Indian Department was anxious that peace commissioners be
appointed and sent among the Indians. The Indian sympathizers and
admirers wanted peace at any price. General Pope thought that the
time had not yet come when a lasting peace could be made with the
Indians in Wyoming, but he announced himself as ready to do his
duty and follow instructions. The Arapahoe, Sioux, and Cheyennes
were willing to talk peace and secure supplies which were very
much needed to take the place of those destroyed by General Connor
and General Sully. Red Cloud, who was fast coming to the front as
the master mind among the hostiles,
did not care to talk but he allowed the other chiefs to indulge in
this harmless pastime, while he took good care not to commit
himself to a policy that would be detrimental to his own personal
ambition, which was to become the one great leader among the
powerful Sioux tribes. With the close of 1865, the peace talk
reached a climax and it became generally understood that there
would be a conference at Fort Laramie in the spring and
accordingly messengers were sent to the Cheyennes and Arapahoes as
well as to the numerous bands of Sioux, inviting them to come to
Fort Laramie in the spring, and before the winter passed it was
generally understood that from 20,000 to 30,000 Indians would
participate in the grand peace conference. All that winter was
heard the certainty of the coming peace which should make
everybody happy. General Wheaton, who commanded at For t Laramie,
was enthusiastic, and all the news which found its way into
eastern journals, from this fort indicated that the peace
conference of 1866 was to be an affair reflecting credit on all
concerned. Old Jim Bridger and other mountain men of experience
did not feel willing to express the opinion that the Indians were
honest in their peace talk. They would wait and see what the
savages had to say after grass came. General Pope was out of
patience with those people who were willing to hazard everything
on the peace conference, but he said little. The War Department
was anxious to muster out all the volunteers and these
organizations were, as far as possible, hurried to points where
they could receive their discharge. The council was to open in May
and General Wheaton had abundant evidence to prove that all the
Indians in the disputed region would be at Fort Laramie at the
appointed time to do the smoking and talking and it was thus that
the winter of 1865-6 closed in.